"We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?"
John 8:33

If you haven't read the past posts, then go and read them: Part 1 and Part 2

This is the passage that connects the passages used in the previous two posts. Jesus tells a group of people who believed in him (v. 31) that they should stay in his word and, if they did this, they would be set free. So they respond by saying that they had never been enslaved, so why, Jesus, would you tell us that we need to be free? You can only be freed if you are in bondage, right?

There are several interpretations to their response. The Israelites had obviously been enslaved since Abraham's time because Moses, the leader of old that they idolized, had led them from the bondage of Egypt to the Promised Land. I hope you are all familiar with that story; if not, then go read the book of Exodus. Furthermore, they had been in bondage at various points in the Old Testament to groups of people such as the Philistines, the Assyrians, and others. They were currently under Roman oppression. One interpretation of the text claims that they were probably saying that they had been a nation under God ever since Abraham, even in the midst of being enslaved to various people groups. That's very possible, even probable. But, even if that is the case, then my angle on it still stands true. Here's what I see when they question Christ's statement: denial. They are denying the obvious fact that they have been enslaved time and time again. Even if they mean that they had been a "nation under God", or "God's chosen people", or anything like that, they would still be skirting the fact that they had been and were currently under another nation's rule.

This is not unlike our modern day American Christianity. I was a product of it. Most Christians that I know either were a product of it, or still are. We grow up in church. We know Scripture. We can win sword drills. We go to a private school. We are in FCA. We rally around our flagpole to pray one day out of the school year. We mutter a half-silent prayer over our food every few days. We go to church when it's not nasty outside with rain or when it's not too pretty to go out. We raise our hands when the music is pretty, we bow our heads after we remove our hats during prayer, we even come up to the front during the altar call every once in a while. We have the system down. But this is not freedom. It is only another form of bondage if it is not done through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and as a result of an overflowing heart responding to grace. We need no Savior when we have a system. And therein lies the problem.

We don't realize that we are in bondage; that we are enslaved; that we are captives to sin. Even in the midst of doing all those "good" things. We sin in our pursuit of God without even realizing it because we are not truly seeking him for who he is; maybe only for what he can give (like I talked about in this blog); or because it is expected of us; or any other impure motive. But, Jesus had in his mind that even those "who had believed in him" (v. 31) needed to be set free. You may believe, but you need not only believe. James says "faith without works is dead." True faith expresses itself through action. If your saying something with your mouth, claiming to believe it, but your actions aren't lining up, then double check your heart because you probably don't truly believe.

We are slaves. Either to sin or righteousness (Romans 6). But, the truth of Christ "will set [us] free." (v. 32) And, "if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (v. 36) Christ's word, his truth, is presented in this blog, and you therefore have the means to freedom, for "the truth will set you free"; may the Holy Spirit soften your heart to hear and feel the Truth, Christ himself, and be freed.

Amen.